Metalized plastic articles and methods thereof

Abstract

Metalized plastic substrates, and methods thereof are provided herein. The method includes providing a plastic having a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic. The accelerators have a formula ABO3, wherein A is one or more elements selected from Groups 9, 10, and 11 of the Periodic Table of Elements, B is one or more elements selected from Groups 4B and 5B of the Periodic Table of Elements, and O is oxygen. The method includes the step of irradiating a surface of plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator. The method further includes plating the irradiated surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator, and then plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. The plastic article comprising: a plastic sustrate having a plastic and at least one accelerator plated with at least a first and a second metal layer,
 wherein the at least one accelerator is selected from the group consisiting of: Na 0.01 Ca 0.245 Cu 0.75 TiO 3 , La 0.0025 Ca 0.2475 Cu 0.75 TiO 3 , CuTiO 3 , Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 TiO 3 , CuNbO 3 , CuTaO 3  and CuZrO 3 . 
 
     
     
       2. The plastic article of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerator is about 1 wt % to about 40 wt % of the plastic substrate. 
     
     
       3. The plastic article of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic substrate further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of: an antioxidant, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, and inorganic fillers. 
     
     
       4. The plastic article of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layers are selected from the group consisting of: Ni—Cu—Ni, or Ni—Cu—Ni—Au, or Cu—Ni, or Cu—Ni—Au. 
     
     
       5. The plastic article of  claim 4 , wherein the nickel layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.1 microns to about 50 microns; the copper layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.1 microns to about 100 microns; and the Au layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.01 microns to about 10 microns. 
     
     
       6. The plastic article of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerator has an average diameter ranging from about 20 nanometers to about 100 microns. 
     
     
       7. A plastic article comprising: a plastic substrate having a plastic and at least one accelerator plated with at least one metal layer,
 wherein the at least one accelerator is selected from the group consisting of: Na 0.01 Ca 0.245  Cu 0.75 TiO 3 , La 0.0025 Ca 0.2475 Cu 0.75 TiO 3 , CuTiO 3 ,Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 TiO 3 , CuNbO 3 , CuTaO 3 , and CuZrO 3 . 
 
     
     
       8. The plastic article of  claim 7 , wherein the accelerator is about 1 wt % to about 40 wt % of the plastic substrate. 
     
     
       9. The plastic article of  claim 7 , wherein the plastic substrate further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of: an antioxidant, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, and inorganic fillers. 
     
     
       10. The plastic article of  claim 7 , wherein the metal layer includes metal selected from the group consisting of: Ni, Cu, or Au. 
     
     
       11. The plastic article of  claim 7 , wherein the accelerator has an average diameter ranging from about 20 nanometers to about 100 microns.